Army Arrests 24 Foreign Nationals in Lagos Security Raid

(Security operatives. Photo by Arise News)

As part of continued efforts to rid the 81 Division Area of Responsibility, AOR, of criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats, troops of the 65 Battalion have arrested 24 foreign nationals during a coordinated raid on a suspected hideout in Epe Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Lieutenant Colonel Musa Yahaya, Acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 81 Division Nigerian Army, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that troops of the battalion, working alongside members of a local vigilante group, raided a secluded fenced compound at Imokun in the Odo-Noforija/Poka area of Epe, where the arrests were made.

According to the statement, the 24 individuals apprehended comprised 15 males and nine females.

Preliminary profiling identified the suspects as nationals of various West and Central African countries, including 10 Cameroonians, six Togolese, three Ivorians, three from the Republic of Benin, one Burkinabè national, and one from Guinea-Bissau.

The statement said initial investigations were carried out to determine the suspects' immigration status, reason for their stay, and any possible involvement in unlawful activities, adding that efforts were also underway to identify and question the owner of the premises for further clarity on the circumstances surrounding their presence and activities at the location.

The suspects were subsequently handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Lagos State Command, on July 16, 2025, for further investigation, profiling and appropriate administrative action in line with existing immigration laws.

The General Officer Commanding, 81 Division Nigerian Army, Major General Adebayo Babalola, charged personnel to sustain ongoing operations and intensify efforts to deny criminal elements, illegal immigrants and other security threats access to the Division's AOR, while reaffirming the Division's commitment to supporting relevant security agencies in maintaining peace, security and public safety across the region.